HALIFAX — Two geese are dead after being hit by a vehicle at a crosswalk the popular birds use to access a pond at a park in Dartmouth, N.S.

Police say a man was driving on Prince Albert Road during the rush hour Wednesday when he struck three of the geese, who were crossing over from the Elliott Street area to Sullivan’s Pond.

Police say the driver didn’t see the birds as they crossed the road.

One goose died at the scene, while a second injured bird was taken to a veterinarian and later died — a third goose swam to an island in the pond and is being monitored by volunteers.

Police say witnesses to the accident confirmed speed was not a factor and no charges have been laid against the driver.

The pond’s geese have been a visible presence for years in downtown Dartmouth and are known for using the crosswalk to get to the pond.

The tragic incident drew a flurry of tweets by upset residents including one from former Dartmouth mayor Gloria McCluskey who expressed her sadness and remarked that she had been looking at the geese only the night before and thinking “they are so beautiful and that we are so lucky to have them.”

“So sad to hear about our Dartmouth Geese,” tweeted Daren Fisher. “They are some of our most popular residents.”

Another Dartmouth resident, Kate Watson, was also among those expressing their unhappiness at the turn of events.

“So angry to hear a driver killed two of the geese at Sullivan’s Pond. I’ve always been proud and charmed by the care we as a community show to them.”